Machine for operating on shoes



S. P. LOVELL MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON SHOES July 12, 1927. 1,635,627

' Original Filed Aug. .29, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 12 1927.

s. P. LOVELL MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON SHOES Original Filed Aug. 29, 19232 Sheets-Sheet Patented Jul 12, 1927.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STANLEY P. iLOVELL, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASBIGNOR. TO UNITED SHOEMACHINERY CORPORATION, 'OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 01 NEWJERSEY,

original application filed August 29,

The present invention relates to the manufactureof boots and shoes andmore particularly to the automatic treatment and sup ly- 'ing ofshoe-parts,

and while in that condition may be assembled on the last with the othershoe parts and pulled-over or lasted to give it the desired shape, whichit will retain after drying out.

orcooling. I

. It is the ,object of the present invention to provide a conditioningmachine for box toes and-similar shoe parts which will automaticallydeliver a conditioned or treated box toe to the operator with-eachulling-over or lasting operation, .so'that tie operator willautomatically'be provided with a conditioned box toe with each cycle ofopera tion of his pulling-over or lasting machine.

' With this'andother objects in view, as will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following specification, the presentinvention consists in the devices and combination of devices hereinafterdescribed and particularly defined in the claims. 1

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate what is now considered tobe the preferred form of apparatus embodying the present invention,Figure 1 is ,a longitudinal sectional elevation of the treating andconditioning mechanismyFig. 2 is ahorizontal sectional view on the line2-2 of Fig.

1; Fig. 3 shows in enlarged elevation the separator and feed slideandplate; Fig. 4.

is a plan, partly in section, of the combined pulling-overandeonditlonin machine;

and Figs. 5 and 6 are details 0 the driving and controlling devices forthe conditioning mechanism.

In the illustrated embodiment of the pres? ent invention theconditioning mechanism is located in close proximity to the pullingovermachine so that there may be a common drive and control. Thisarrangement pro- MACHINE FOB OPERATING ON SHOES.

1928, Serial No. 659,922. Divided and;th1| application lflled April 4,1924. Serial No. 704,208.

vides for the delivery of the treated or conditioned box toes at a pointconvenient for the operator of the pulling-over machine and as fast asthe operator can use them, one

conditioned box toe being delivered for each complete cycle ofoperation-of the pullingover machine.

The conditioning mechanism, as illustrate ed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,comprises a closed chamber 1 having a top 2, bottom 3, sides 4, and ends5." An open tank or rece tacle 6 is provided within the chamber forolding the treatin or conditioning liquid and through whlch the boxtoesare passed while supported bythe endless belt or conveyor 7.- Thisbelt is preferably formed of leathe'r having on its supporting face amulti licity of upstanding wires 8, like card 00th-- ing. The conveyorisc'arried by the drivlIl pulle 9 and idlers 11 and 113, the'latt'erbeing ad ustable by means of'the swingin supportin arm 14 to providevthe desir amount 0 slackness in the conveyor so that it may dipbeneaththe surface of the liquid in the tank 6. The driving pulley 9 on theshaft 15 is given successive single revolu tions by mechanismhereinafter to be described,to advance the belt or conveyor 7- in thedirection of the arrow, in intermittent successive movements.

The box toe blanks are delivered to'th blanks under suflicient pressureto insure the proper separation and feeding of the-lowermost blank fromthe stack by the feeding mechanism. This comprises a blade 18 mountedupon a slide 19 and actuated by means of a link 20 and a crank 21 onthedriving shaft 15. The blade 18 is formed with a square front end 24,over-hanging which is the separator having a bevelled edge 25. Theblanks are stacked in the mag azine with the skived or bevelled portionsin therear, and Itheseparator edge 25' entering between the skived orbevelled edges of the lowermost and the mext adjacent blanks, separatesthe former from the stack and permits the square end 24 of the blade 18'to feed such lowermost blank from beneath the stack and through a throat27 onto the conveyor 7 with each revolution of the shaft 15,

11 order to hold the blanksin contact liquid in the tank 6, two narrowdownwardly-bowed spring members 29 are mounted on the bottom ofthe-reservoir 31 for the treating liquid. This reservoir is supportedupon the horizontal portion of the top of 2 of the chamber 1 andisprovided on its bottom with a depending pipe 32, the lower end ofwhich is just beneath the surface of the liquid in the tank 6. An airtight filler cap 33 permits the automatic flow of liquid from thereservoir 31 into the tank 6 in a well-known manner, to automaticallymaintain a constant level of liquid in the tank. A valve in the pipe 82controlledrby the thumb nut 34 may be closed whenever it is desired torefill the reservoir or to remove the same bodily from the top of theconditioning mechanism where it rests in the seat or recess formed b theupstanding flange 35.

The treated or conditioned blanks are delivel'ed onto a table or bench36 through an opening in the chambcnnormally closed by the hinged dooror gate 37. A springfinger 38 mounted within the chamber adjacent thedoor acts to hold the rear end of the blank in contact with the conveyoras the latter is carried around the pulley 11, not only thereby tendingto free the front end of the blank from the conveyor, if there is anyadherence, but also insuring the opening by the blank of theself-closing gate or door 37. A comb 39 fixed upon the table or bench 36is also provided to separate any adhering blank from the conveyor, theteeth of the comb entering between the supporting wires of the conveyorand beneath the blank held thereon.

The bottom 3 of the chamber 1' is formed with a depression 40 to collectand retain the excess of liquid which drains or drips from the blanks asthey pass from the tank 6 to the point of discharge. A draw-oft cock 41permits the withdrawal from time to time of this accumulation of thisexcess.

Except for the narrow throat or opening 27 through which untreatedblanksare delivered to the conveyor and which is practically closed at alltimes either by a blank or the feed plate, and the normally closeddischarge opening, the chamber 1 is substantially air tight, thuspreventing the escape into the atmosphere of vapors of the treatingliquid. This is a feature of importance, not only because this escapewould means a loss and waste of the treating liquid, but also be.- causesuch liquid consists of, or is composed of, alcohol or naphtha orsimilar liquids which form inflammable and explosive gases. Furthermore,this feature permits an atmosphere saturated with the treating liquid tobe maintained within the chamber 1, thereby insuring the delivery ofproperly conditioned box toes irrespective of how long aaaaav a timebeyond the minimum the treated blanks may be retained in the chamber. Delays are often experienced in the pullingover operation and the work maybe stopped.

altogether, yet owing to the saturated atmosphere within the enclosedchamber the evaporation of the liquid from the treated blank isprevented and hardening of the box will not occur.

In the treatment of the box toe blanks by the conditioning liquid itisdesirable that the blank be dipped into the liquid only momentarily, forotherwise the stiffening compound in the blank might be dissolved orotherwise aiiected. Accordingly, the actuating mechanism for theconveyor or belt is so arranged that a blank will be delivered from themagazine onto the conveyor belt with one rotation of the shaft 15. Onthe next rotation this blank will be assed into and out of the liquid inthe tan On the next rotation of the shaft 15', the blank will beadvanced toward the discharge opening but which, in the constructionshown in Fig. 1, it will not reaclruntil the fourth revolution of theshaft, when itwill be delivered onto the table 36 in convenient positionforthe operator. Fig. 1 illustrates the position of the blanks while theshaft and conveyor are stationary, blank a having just been deliveredfrom the magazine onto the conveyor, blank b-having been passed throughthe tank and the excess liquid draining ofi', blank 0 being properlyconditioned and kept so by the saturated atmosphere within the chamber.

After a box toe has been properly conditioncd it is ordinarily assembledwith the up per and insole upon the shoe last and is then subjected tothe operation of a pulling-over machine which roughly stretches andpulls the upper over and around the last and so cures it in position bymeans of tacks preparatory to the lasting operation. In order to insuredelivery of a properly conditioned box toe \vltlnnconvenlent reach ofthe operator oi the pulhngover machine, it is desirable to locate theconditioning mechanism adjacent the pulling-over machine and to controlthe operation of the conditioning mechanism so that with each cycle ofoperation, of the pull1ng-over machme there w1ll be delivered a singleconditioned box toe.- In the illustrated embodiment of thepresentinvention, such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 4 in which theconditioning machine is located at the side of, and close to, apullingover machine of-the type illustrated in the McFeeley Patent No.663,777, dated December 11, 1900, only so much of the base and Inncarries the driving shaft 44 u on which is,

fixed the driving pulley 45 having afriction -'face or flange 46. Asmaller pulley for driving the instrumentalities "on the upper part a orhead of the machine is shown at 48 and has a corresponding friction faceorflange 49 for engagement with the flange 46 of thedriving pulley whenthe lose pulley 48 is moved longitudinally ofthe shaft 44. The devicesfor moving the'loose pulley may be as shown inthe McFeeley patent,comprising the treadle 51 with'the vertical treadle rod 52 and the wedgerod 53, and the other connections and devices as shown in said McFeeleypatent. These connections and devices are such that depressing thetreadle 51 causes the pulley 48 to be given a single revolution and thento be stopped. This single revolution of the pulley 48 imparts a halfrevolution to the main shaft on the head of the machine, its pulle beingdouble the size'of the pulley 48, and uring this half revolution thegrippers seize the upper and pull the same over the last. In the dwellwhich follows this operation, the operator may readjust the grippers orthe upper upon the .last after which the collar 84. The inner end of thepin is he will im art a second depression to the the head, during'whichthe tacks are driven, all as shown and described in said McFeeleypatent.

Itwill be observed that in the operation of this pulling-over machinetwoactuations of .the treadle are necessary tocause the machine to makea single complete cycle of operations.

In theillustrated embodiment of the present invention, the driving andcontrolling device's'for the conditioning machine are as follows. Fixedu on the'rear end of the driving shaft 44 0, the pulling-over machine isa small grooved driving pulley 55 for drivingthrough-the belt 56 thepulley 57 on the counter-shaft 58 of the conditioning machine. Thiscounter-shaft rotates continuously in the bearings 59 in a bracketsecured to the side of the conditioning machine and carries at its frontend a bevelled gear 61, a Horton ballor roll clutch being interposedbetween the gear 61 and the shaft 58. inion- 63 fixed upon the shaft 150f the conitionin machine is engaged by thegear 61.

In or er to impart a single continuous r0 tat-ion of the pinion 63 andshaft 15 of'the conditioning mechanism for each two actuations of thetreadle of the pulling-over ma chine, the gear 61 is of the intermittentor' mutilated ty e'as shown in Fig; 5; that is, d with teeth 65 forexactly oneit is provide half of its face, the other half 66, beingblank and cut away to clear the teeth of the pinion '63, The gear 61being justtwice the diamthe other to t portion 66 of the gear 65- ispassing the pinion 63 will be without effect, but on-the second halfrevolution of the gear a complete revolutionwill be imparted to thepinion. and

eter of the pinion 63, thefirst half revolution of the countersshaftwhile the cut away shaft, the gear teeth 65 then being in mesh with theteeth of the inion,

The intermittent ha f revolutions are iven to the counter-shaft 58 bymeans of the orton clutch, the collar'68 of which has oppo sitelydisposed stop shoulders 69 and 70. A I

vertically movable rod 72, mount ed in the bracket 59 on theconditioning machine, is raised with each actuation of the treadle 51 bymeans of a rigid connecting bar 7 4'fixed at one end u n the treadle"52and at e sleeve 75. to the rod case in asleeve 79 loose upon, the-rod 72but held from turning thereon by means of a spline or key 80. The pin'is normally pressed outwardlyby means of the spring 82' its outwardmovement being limited by gevelled at 86 to engage a notch 87 in the rodWhen the parts, are in the position as shown in Fig. 6, if the treadle51 is depressed the sleeve. 75 will be raised carrying with it the rod72 and the ahutment'pin 77 and sleeve 79. The instant the abutment pinrises above the stop shoulder 69, the 7 clutch is engaged and thebevelled gear 6l set' in operation. The disengagement of the pin H 77permits the. spring 82- to act, forcing the pin outwardly-and itsbevelledend 86 out of-the notch'87, leaving the sleeve 79:free to dropupon the rod 72 thereby bringing the above described of the 'treadl'e.51 was the first actuation, the blank portion 66 of the gear 61 will atthis time have passed beneath and the shaft and theentireconditioningmechanism will remain stationary.

As soon as the operator releases the treadle, the rod 72 will fall'andthe notch 87 will again be engagedby the bevelled shoulder 86' of theabutmentpin 77.v Upon abutment pin 77 into'the-p'ath-of the second stolis the teeth of the pinion 63, and the pinion the second actuation ofthe treadle the parts will be raised as before, .the clutch collarreleased, and the clutch closed vfor one-half a revolution of thecounter-shaft, and during this second half-revolution of thecountershaft the teeth 65 on the gear 61 will engage 7 the pinion 63 andimpart onecomplete revolution to the shaft of the conditioningmachine,causing a new blank to be delivered from the magazine the blankdelivered on the last previous actuation to be passed through theconditioning liquid, thepreviously treated blank to be advanced, and aproperly conditioned blank to be delivered from the conditioningmechanism onto the bench or table ready to be assembled with the upperpreparatory to the next pullingover operation.

Thus for each two actuations of the treadle a single movement isimparted to the conditioning mechanism and a single conditioned box teeis delivered to the operator. While the accompanyin drawings and theforegoing specification ascribe a specific form of mechanism designedand adapted for treating or conditioning boxtoe blanks by means of aliquid, it is to be understood that the present invention, except whereso specilied in the claims, is not limited to the use of such asoftening agent but may be embodied in other forms of mechanism fortreating or conditioning box toes in other we 's.

*urtherniore, where in the claims the word conditioning has beenemployed, this is to be understood as not necessarily limited to thesoftening of a previously stifiened box toe blank but as defining andincluding any treatment or preparation of the. box toe blank or othershoe part, Nor are the claims to be limited to a construction embodyinga pullingovcr machine except where such machine is specificallyincluded, but are to be construed to cover any machine for operat ingupon shoes or shoe parts which have undergone a preliminary treatment orreparationto put them in a proper con ition for use.

The specific construction of conditioning mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and above described, is not claimed herein as itforms the subject-matter oi another application filed by me on August29, 192 Serial No. 659,922, of which the present application is adivision.

Having thus described the present-invention what is claimed is:.

1. The combination with a machine for operating-on shoes, of mechanismfor treating shoe parts preparatory'to said operation, and devicesassociated with said machine for delivering at a point convenient to thehand earner tor a shoe part for each cycle of operation of the machine.

3. The combination with a machine for operating upon assembled shoeparts, of mechanism for treating a shoe part prepa z tory to saidassembly and operation, controlling devices for said machine arran ed tobe actuated by the operator a plum ity of times for each cycle ofoperation of the machine, and means operating automatically to deliver atreated shoepart on each cycle of operation of the machine for the nextassembly and operation of the machine.

4..lhe combination with a machine for operating upon shoes, of mechanismfor treating shoe parts preparatory to said operation, controllingdevices for the machine in cluding a trcadle arranged to be actuatedbythe operator a plurality of times for a complete cycle of operation ofthe machine, means for delivering the treated shoe parts, andcontrolling devices for said means connccted with said trcadle andoperative only on the last actuation of the treadle in each completecycle of operation of the machine to cause said means to deliver atreatedshoe part.

The combination with a pulling-over" machine, of a box toe conditioningmachine, and mechanism operating automatically to deliver a conditionedbox toe for each cycle of operation of the pulling-over machine.

(3. The combination with a pulling-over machine, of controlling devicesincludingv a trcadle adapted to be actuated a plurality of times foreach cycle of operation of the ma chine, a box toe conditioning machine,and means connected to said treadle tocause the conditioning machine todeliver a single box toe for each cycle of operation of the pullin -overmachine.

The combination with a pulling-over machine having a treadle adapted tobe actuated a plurality of timesfor each cycle of operation of themachine, oi a box toe conditioning machine, and devices connected withsaid treadle and operating automatically to deliver a conditioned boxtoe upon one predetermined actuation of the treadlc in the cycle ofoperation of the pulling'over machine.

8. The combination with a pulling-over machine having a treadlc forcontrolling the same arranged to be actuated a plurality of times foreach cycle of operation, of a box toe conditioning machine andcontrolling devicesfor the conditioning machine associated with saidtreadle for causing the conditioning machine to deliver a singleconditioned box toe for each cycle of operation of the pulling-overmachine.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

STANLEY P. LQVELL.

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